Loyd McCormick

1928 - 2014

Loyd W. McCormick

Adored by his family, Loyd W. McCormick passed away peacefully on August 28, 2014, after a rich life of 85 years marked by a 58-year loving marriage and a 40-year distinguished legal career.

Born in 1928, focusing on academics as a young man, he attended the University of California at Los Angeles at age 16 and initially studied to become a physician. After changing his major from pre-med to political science, he transferred to and graduated from University of California at Berkeley. Following graduation, he served in the U.S. Navy in the Korean War as Lieutenant (JG). Loyd earned his law degree from Boalt Hall School of Law, University of California at Berkeley, and began his legal career in 1956.

He practiced law for 40 years at McCutchen, Doyle, Brown & Enersen (now Bingham McCutchen) and served as senior partner and on the executive committee. He participated in the firm's expansion to an international law firm helping to open the Bangkok and Taipei offices. He specialized in general business litigation, corporate securities litigation, antitrust litigation and general affairs of agricultural cooperatives. He tried cases in state and federal courts in California and Hawaii and litigated before the Interstate Commerce Commission, the Federal Trade Commission and the California Public Utilities Commission.

A successful trial lawyer and pioneer of agricultural cooperatives, Loyd was honored with many professional distinctions including the American College of Trial Lawyers, American Judicature Society, The Conference Board, International Conference Board, Asia Foundation, Agriculture Committee of the State Chamber of Commerce, UC Berkeley College of Natural Resources Advisory Board, and Committee on California Agriculture and Higher Education. A force in the legal field, he was also selected as a lawyer representative by the Northern District of California to the Ninth Circuit Judicial Conference, serving as chairman, and the National Council of Farmer Cooperatives in Washington, D.C., chairing the Legal and Taxation Committee.

Loyd's major clients included Allied Grape Growers, Amfac, Blue Anchor, California Canners & Growers, California Raisin Growers Association, California Tomato Growers Association, Caymus Vineyards, Castle & Cook, C&H Sugar, Farmers' Rice Cooperative, General Brewery Corporation (Lucky Lager), Heitz Wine Cellars, Ingelnook Winery, Jardine Matheson, Monterey Mushrooms, Peach Growers Association, Queen Emma Foundation, and Weibel Winery.

A natural in the courtroom and board room, Loyd also stood out as a gifted mentor, counselor and advocate for many McCutcheon lawyers who worked for him. He was known in the office for showing an active interest in developing his protégés' careers, delegating substantive work to them, and giving them responsibility so that they could succeed in the firm.

He took pride in his professional accomplishments but he also enjoyed competitive sports. As a lefty, he played three varsity sports at Venice High School – football, basketball and tennis. Loyd quarterbacked the football team and captained the tennis team. He shared his passion for tennis with his family and devoted many weekend hours teaching his children the game and playing family tournaments with them.

Throughout his life, Loyd was actively involved in his community and many organizations. As an undergraduate, he loved fraternity life and served as President of the Sigma Alpha Epsilon at UCLA. With his love of politics, he served on the Contra Costa Republican Central Committee and as President of the Lafayette Young Republicans. Dedicated to quality education, he guided Sleepy Hollow Parents' Club as President, sat on the Board of Directors of Boalt Hall School of Law Alumni Association and served as an associate of Golden Gate University. At the Sleepy Hollow Swim & Tennis Club, he led the organization as President. He also enjoyed his memberships in the Orinda Country Club and the Pacific-Union Club.
Loyd valued family more than anything else. In 1955, he met the love of his life, Jeanne Welch, on the dance floor at the Berkeley Tennis Club. They married in 1956 and were in love for 58 years. Together, they raised three children in Orinda instilling in them the importance of family and guiding them to be the best they could be.

Loyd will be dearly missed by his loved ones. He is survived by his loving wife Jeanne McCormick, son David McCormick, daughter Janet Riley, son-in-law Ben Riley, son Ken McCormick, daughter-in-law Karla McCormick, grandchildren Keith Riley, Ana McCormick, Jamie Riley , Trent McCormick , John McCormick and Kendall McCormick, brother Larry McCormick, sister-in-law Dietra McCormick and many nieces and nephews whom he loved dearly.
The family is deeply grateful to Francesca Allen for her extraordinary help in recent years, providing constant comfort and care. The McCormicks also wish to thank the many loving and capable staff at LARC, Aegis of Moraga and Hospice VITAS.

A Celebration of Loyd's Life will be held on Friday, September 12 at the Orinda Country Club at 12:00 p.m. for friends and family.

In lieu of flowers and in honor of Loyd's love for the University of California, Berkeley School of Law, donations can be made to Boalt Hall Fund in memory of Loyd W. McCormick. Please send to: University of California, Berkeley School of Law, Boalt Hall Alumni Center, 2850 Telegraph Avenue, Suite 500, Berkeley, CA 94705-7220.